Charitable Grants From Motability Foundation & Other Organisations

The Motability Foundation Charitable Grants Programme offers financial support to try and make sure that no person with a disability is disadvantaged because of poor access to transportation.

The Motability Foundation works together with Motability Operations Ltd (who operate the Motability Scheme) to help disabled people who want to use their qualifying government-funded Mobility Allowance to get the vehicle and adaptations they need.

As a registered charity, the Motability Foundation offer Charitable Grants to people who would otherwise be unable to afford what they need to get around and retain their independence.

Not everyone who applies for a Charitable Grant is successful. To ensure that the money is prioritised towards the people that need it the most all grants are means-tested. This means that the charity will consider your financial situation, including household income and any savings, to determine whether or not to accept an application for a grant.

If, after researching all your options, you think you would benefit from a Charitable Grant contact the Motability Foundation Charitable Grants team on 0800 500 3186 to discuss it further.

Motability Foundation Charitable Grants

A number of different Charitable Grant Programmes have been created by the Motability Foundation to support the transport needs of disabled people.

These grants can be used by people who would like to join the Motability Scheme but feel they cannot afford to do so. The ‘Scheme-Related Grant Programme’ can help fund a range of different needs, including:

• Help to pay for vehicles with higher Motability Advance Payments, so a customer can lease a larger or more expensive car or Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV).
• Help to cover the costs of specialist adaptations, including complex driving solutions.

Scheme-Related Motability Grants

In 2022, the Motability Foundation launched the ‘Bespoke Passenger Solutions’ grant scheme, designed specifically to help people with additional needs who use a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) as a passenger. These grants will help WAV customers who require more complex solutions, including adaptations such as (but not limited to) additional storage options for equipment or medication, Perspex screens, folding tables, changing beds, stretchers, sound dampening and enhanced interior or exterior lighting.

Motability Bespoke Passenger Solutions Grants

These grants help a wide range of people with a disability gain access to some form of transportation, including Motability customers and those who choose not to (or who cannot) join the Motability Scheme. Support includes:

• Help with the cost of driving lessons (up to 40 hours of tuition) and familiarisation lessons (perhaps to get used to a new driving adaptation).
• Transitional support grants to help Motability Scheme customers who no longer qualify for the Motability Scheme.

Access To Mobility Grants

This grant programme has been created to support charities and organisations in areas that the charity believes will have the greatest impact for people who live with a disability. Six new grant programmes have been launched in total, including:

• Community Transport Grants
• Wheelchair Sector Grant
• Research Grants
• Active Travel Grants
• Travelling With Confidence Grants
• Reducing Barriers To Driving Grants

The Motability Foundation will award a total of £50 million in funding over three financial years, ending in March 2025. Charities and organisations can apply to the Motability Foundation for grants worth between £100,000 and £4 million. 

Grants To Charities And Organisations

The Access to Work programme is a government grant scheme that supports disabled people in work. If you are disabled or have a physical or mental health condition that makes it hard for you to do your job, you can:

• Talk to your employer about changes they must make in your workplace.
• Get extra help from Access to Work, including mental health support.

An Access to Work grant could pay for:

• Special equipment, adaptations or support worker services to help you do things like answer the phone or go to meetings.
• Help getting to and from work, including public transport, taxi fares or funding towards the cost of specialist adaptations in your own vehicle.

To get help from Access to Work you must:

• Have a disability or health condition (physical or mental) that makes it hard for you to do parts of your job or get to and from work.
• Be 16 or over.
• Live in England, Scotland or Wales - there’s a different system in Northern Ireland.
• You also need to have a paid job.

Access To Work Grants